Wagon-yoke



(ModeL) W. A. BAKER.

WAGON YOK'E. No. 256,617. Patented Apr.-.18, 1882.

%WITNESSBS= V v INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N, PETERS. Pnowmhu n mr. Washingwn. \1 (L UNrrEa TATES PATENT Grates.

WILLIAM A. BAKER, OF COLOMA, MICHIGAN.

WAGON-YOKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,617, dated April 18, 1882.

Application filed August 15, 1881. (Model.) B

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. BAKER, of Goloma, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wagon-Yokes, of which the'following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

' Itis now thepractice to supportthe tongues of wagons upon the necks of the horses by straps leading from the end of the tongue or from the ends of the neck-yoke to rings in the hamesof the harness. This method of supporting the tongue interferes with the free action of the horses, and, if'the horses are tobe used singly as well as in span, necessitates the keeping on hand of two sets of harness or much changing of straps, &c., of the double harness to adapt it both for single and double use, which is a great trouble and annoyance.

By my invention the same harness may be used both for single and double driving with out much changing of straps, and the tongue of the wagon is made shorter, so as to occupy less space in turning, and all weight is removed from the necks of the horses and all rigging is removed from in frontof their breasts and necks.

My invention consists in supporting the tongue upon a yoke under the horses, said yoke being suspended from straps attached to the hack-pads of the harnesses.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan view, and Fig. 2 a section on the line x w, of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents the wagon tongue or pole, and B represents the yoke, which latter-is adapted to be suspended under the horses, under the belly-bands of the harnesses,and preferably from straps attached to the back-pads of the harness. The yoke is preferably flattened upon its upper side, and

the tongue is securednpon the yoke by thepivot to, and it is provided with the mortises 0, four in number, so arranged as to come upon the sides of the horses. In these mortises are placed the cross-pins c, to which are secured the straps d d, by means of which the yoke is buckled to the straps of the back-pads, which usually support the thills of single wagons, or, rather, the straps through which the thills pass; or separate straps may be used, which pass over the backs of the horses; and in these mortises are also buckled the holdback-straps f, which buckle or snap into the rings of the breeching of the harness, as shown in Fig. 1. By this arrangement it will be understood that the tongue of the wagon may be much shorter than when the ordinary neck-yoke is used, and

that all weight is taken from the necks of the horses, and that there will be no rigging in front of their breasts, and that the same harness may be used for both double and single driving without much changing of straps.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. An improved yoke for supporting tongues of wagons, adapted to be suspended under the horses from the back-pads, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. Theyoke B, formed with theslots c, and provided with the pins 0, whereby the straps d d and the holdback-straps ff may be attached to it, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, with the short pole A, of the yoke B, pivoted to the said pole and provided with the straps d f, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

. WILLIAM ALLEN BAKER.

Witnesses:

FRED. R. BOYD, S. SHoUP. 

